Archive for the ‘Princess Peanut’ Category

My dear Princess Peanut is one today! As I look back on this year, I truly can’t believe it has been that long. It seems like only yesterday that I would catch her napping in her bouncy seat. That she wanted to be wrapped up as tight as could be.

Then I look through my pictures of her. I find that she really did grow up slowly. She smiled by September. She was still such a skinny little thing, but that smile captured our hearts.

A baby's smile transforms her face

As she continued to grow, that smile grew with her. That personality that couldn’t be a more perfect fit for our little family.

By Christmas her little cheeks were filling out, she was getting chunky, and she finally started sleeping more.

By 8 months, I noticed how like her older sister she looks. It is funny how we all just seem to mesh. Our lives were not complete without this glorious little girl.

One of my favorite memories is always the first spaghetti. There is something magical about that orange substance.

Then came hiking. We rediscovered Zion this spring and early summer. We have gone over and over again. Punkin’ loves the backpack.

As we returned from one of our hikes, we had to get on a bus that takes us back to our car. It can be quite busy and thus tight on the ride. Punkin’ was still in the backpack, but on Sultry Husband’s lap. She watched as strangers boarded the bus and held on to the bars provided. I watched as she reached out to hold one, looking up to see what these other people would do about it. That bar was her friend for the next 30 minutes.

And finally, one of my favorites. Punkin’ used to be content to be surrounded by her toys. Now, she wants nothing more than to explore and find new and glorious things to create mischief with. She loves to “find” us as we call to her. This last picture shows her wonderful personality and the excitement she feels when she find’s us.

Happy Birthday little one, you are a welcome addition to our family. We couldn’t imagine our lives without you.

I have always adored the first year. So many new things to try, developments in personality, and my personal favorite has always been the first time my babies try new foods.

Punkin has been growing like a weed the past few months. She is now 10 months old, sitting by herself, entertaining herself, sleeping mostly through the night, and bringing such joy into our home.

Last weekend she went camping for the first time. She did really well, but I am saving that story for when I finish editing the 250+ pictures I took (I am almost done I swear). Last night though, I captured one of my favorite moments. Punkin tried Spaghetti for the very first time. We took off all her clothes, strapped on a bib, piled some on her tray, and sat back to watch.

She seemed confused and even nervous at first. Touching with one finger, moving it around for awhile, then finally the magic moment happened. She placed one small noodle into her mouth. I wish I had the camera when that grin appeared, but I didn’t even think about it till she was double fisting the spaghetti into her mouth.

When she was born, I told myself that this was my favorite age. I loved to snuggle with her, cuddle her, and just hold that newborn goodness.

A few months later, as she started to smile at us, I said, now this is my favorite age. We could interact, and she seemed to recognize us.

When she started sleeping mostly through the night, I said, this must be my favorite age. I felt more myself and things just felt magic. She began to keep the Binky in her mouth by herself and continued to develop and round out physically. Surely, things couldn’t get better than that.

At seven months, she began to kick and splash in the bath. Resulting in my feeling like I was taking a bath too. I was sure that seven months was my favorite age. She enjoyed the “Johnny Jump Up” and her swing was pure magic.

Now, at almost nine months, she is at my favorite age. She babbles and makes the beginning sounds of words. Rolling from one end of the living room to the other, I have to be careful about what is on the floor. Everything and anything ends up in her mouth. She screams with joy and kicks her feet when I come in the room. Such pure unadulterated happiness. Yet the words on her bib as she stuffs bread and cheerio’s into her mouth seem so true “Feed me, and I will let you sleep.”

I only have a second, but wanted to document and share a milestone. Princess Peanut rolled over for the first time yesterday! She seemed so surprised that she was suddenly facing the ceiling. We made her do it again and again just to make sure it wasn’t just a fluke.

The really cool part is that both SH and I were there for it. We were folding laundry on our bed, when we placed PP in the middle of the bed for some “tummy time”. She has been lifting her head up like a pro for a while, but never quite figured out the next step. I love it when we are both present for something cool. I had almost forgotten how much fun it is to celebrate our babies first steps in life. Our girls are definitely into all of that, they have been talking about Christmas and how this is PP’s first one.

We also started solid foods a little while back. The older two girls love to talk about new foods she tries. “Is this her first Peaches?” or whatever I am feeding her at the time. I almost want to say yes even if it isn’t just because they get so excited about first’s. Regardless, I am really enjoying having a baby in the house again. I love that the other two are old enough to enjoy her as well. I have two “helpers” who get just as excited about Princess Peanut. We are truly blessed.

This weekend was a complete whirlwind of activities. From the Grand Canyon to visiting a new pool, Princess Peanut’s blessing to M’s baptism… surrounded by friends and family at every turn. We feel blessed, loved, and very tired. I look forward to sharing the pictures we took (I just downloaded 367 pictures from my camera), but for now I only had the energy to share my favorite of the weekend.

Princess Peanut is now 11 weeks old today. In some ways I can’t believe that she is that old, it seems like just yesterday I was bringing her home. In other ways, I almost can’t remember our family without her. She just fits. PP is part of who we are now.

This past week, PP has learned a new trick. It started about three days before company started arriving, perfect timing if I do say so myself. Princess Peanut has begun to smile! There is just something so magical about those first smiles. They transform anyone’s face. But somehow, that first baby smile, well I will let you judge for yourselves.

I can’t get enough of them. I spend so much of my time these days giggling and cooing at her just to see if I can get her to smile. I find myself laughing in a room with no one to hear but her. She is bringing such joy into my home, I don’t know what we ever did without her.

One of her favorite items however, is her Binky. I would never dream of leaving the house without it because that would cause major trauma. She was napping in the swing this afternoon, and I noticed something humorous just as she was beginning to stir. I looked down and the magical Binky had slipped out of her mouth, but she was holding onto it with both hands. If you can’t suck on something, I guess holding it is just as good right?

I know that you have all been waiting for pictures of the new baby, but with her in the NICU for a while, I just couldn’t edit and post the pictures I wanted to. However, they let us come home on Sunday night and it is wonderful to finally feel like a family under one roof again!

Here are a few of my favorite pictures so far… Like I said before, I will be calling her Princess Peanut or PP for short within the blog.

PP has a favorite pastime, can you guess what it is?

I loved this one because it showed her other favorite pastime, showing me an open mouth!

I took this picture with my Mom’s help last night, I have forgotten how difficult it can be to position a baby and have them remain happy while a picture is being taken! I probably took around 50 pictures last night yet ended up with only two I even liked… this is one of them.

My fabulous sister was willing to let me crash at her house for three weeks while I tried to stay pregnant. Once I heard the news from the doctors that I would be delivering on Monday, and I had called my husband to get himself on the road, I called my sister. She was by my side within half an hour, and never left it till it was time to deliver the baby. Oh, and as a small side, she is single! Know any fabulous gorgeous men who would deserve to date her? 😉

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